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Summary List of stories Phase II Night: Ashes, Metal, And Corruption << chapter 64 Chapter 65 of 75 Defiance Of Fate chapter 66 >> << previous scene Scene 2 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text Luna opened her eyes slowly, blinking a bit before she simply stared in disbelief. The bed beneath her was comfortable and enormous, the room wide and spacious, everything looked... blurry, but also pretty, and she was fairly certain that the blurriness was due to blows to the head and possibly madness. Or maybe she was dreaming. Slowly, she tried to sit up... and groaned in agony at the shocks of pain that tore through her system before flopping back down with a loud wheeze. The pain told her she likely wasn't dreaming, and when she carefully brushed some of her blankets back and looked down, the bandages confirmed it. She poked moodily at these, then looked back and forth before closing her eyes... but her sense of Scrivener was... muffled. It wasn't entirely lost, but it wasn't entirely there, either, and she shivered a little. It meant he was unconscious, but not dreaming... or something was blocking their link. Slowly, Luna wiggled herself carefully to the side, breathing hard and trembling a little. But finding out what the hell was going on was far more important than the pain: last she remembered, she and Scrivener... A wild image ripped through her mind and made her flinch: them grinning, snarling like animals, blood everywhere in a barren world as they ripped through their enemies in a whirlwind, and she trembled for a moment before shoving the thoughts away. That wasn't what had happened at all... and she closed her eyes, making herself take a slow breath as she whispered: "I do not desire that. I... I desire... oh, I do not know..." She shook her head, forcing the darkness away. Faint strings of dreams and nightmares she had experienced while unconscious were coming back to her now, but she tried not to think about them. Pushing herself out of bed and onto her hooves helped: the pain blocked out pretty much everything else and snapped her mind awake, brushing away the last bit of dazed tiredness that had been hovering over her. She started carefully forwards, stumbling a little and shivering weakly as she made her way to the ajar door. She used her horn to push it the rest of the way open, then stumbled out into the hall behind, rasping quietly as she started down the corridor towards the spacious den. Luna leaned carefully out into this, and frowned a bit as she saw the furnishings were all neat and tidy, everything was organized, a fire was quietly crackling away... and she mumbled a little to herself before closing her eyes. She couldn't sense Scrivener's thoughts... but she could still sense him, and she frowned as she realized he wasn't in the apartments. He was somewhere else across Canterlot, so Luna took a slow breath, straightened up... then groaned in pain and slumped down, going bowlegged and shivering, the sound of the bandages rubbing together sounding almost like laughter in her ears as she mumbled: "Oh, damn everything to Helheim." Luna slowly began to drag herself towards the door... and then she winced and looked up sharply at a yell of surprise before moaning and falling on her side, which made her all-but-howl in agony. And in the doorway leading into the kitchen, Twilight Sparkle winced and dropped her plate of crackers, hurrying over to Luna and leaning over her worriedly. "Luna! Oh no, you're not supposed to be out of bed!" "So I have come to understand." Luna mumbled weakly, and when Twilight leaned down to try and pull her to her hooves, she shoved weakly at her with another moan of pain. "No, no! For Mimir's sake, just let me lay here for a moment..." "Luna..." Twilight trembled, looking down at her worriedly... then she closed her eyes tightly and reached down, half-dragging the sapphire mare up to her hooves even as Luna moaned and wheezed in agony, the violet mare whispering harshly: "C-Come on... you and Scrivener... you can have a little p-p-pain..." Luna closed her eyes, swallowing thickly and breathing hard, a faint sheen of sweat rolling down her body as she finally managed to get her hooves under her, and she leaned heavily against Twilight as the violet mare half-carried her back to her room. The pain was awful... but worse than the physical pain were the tears rolling down Twilight's cheeks, as Luna whispered: "I... I am sorry..." "You don't... I..." Twilight only shook her head and fell silent as they made their way back down the corridor, and Luna didn't fight or complain as the violet mare helped her into bed and tucked her in. Then she quickly turned and left, and Luna was left looking miserably at the open door, terrified of what Twilight's tears meant, knowing it was more than just because she and Scrivener had somehow gotten back here, so badly injured. Twilight returned a few minutes later, and she pulled herself up into the large bed to silently curl up beside Luna and bury her face against her chest. It scared the sapphire mare, but she didn't say anything as she reached up and hugged the violet mare close. Twilight trembled a bit, then finally, she looked up and asked weakly: "How much do you remember?" "Just... defeating the Norns, and then... fainting away. I know not how I came back to Canterlot... nor why we are here instead of in Ponyville. Nor do I know where Scrivy is... I sense he may not be far but... he is not... responsive." Luna hesitated, then looked down and silently stroked through Twilight's mane, asking finally: "Is... is he alright?" The violet mare swallowed and closed her eyes, then she shivered a bit before sitting up as she gathered her thoughts. "I... after a day had passed, and no one had sent word or anything from Asgard... Odin and Celestia both got really scared. Enough that Odin contacted some allies up in Valhalla... they sent out a team of warriors and... found you and Scrivener. All the magic had faded from the valley, so they were able to move in easily and get out quickly, but... you... you and Scrivener were both in bad shape. You've... you've been unconscious for a long time. "Odin had you both transported down here as soon as possible. Scrivener is in the lower levels..." Twilight swallowed thickly, and Luna frowned worriedly at this before the violet mare whispered: "How could you both... what did you do? Celestia said you... you cut your life expectancy in half. You were both so badly injured..." Luna laughed faintly at this, looking away before she whispered: "We... we simply did what had to be done..." "No, no, no you didn't... you resorted to the Black Verses, didn't you?" Twilight shivered, looking into Luna's dark cyan eyes, and the sapphire mare sighed softly but nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. Twilight trembled, and then she reached forwards, cupping her face silently in her hooves as she asked weakly: "Do you and Scrivener really want to die that badly? Are you going to... really... leave me... alone, leave Antares alone?" Luna closed her eyes and flushed, looking away before she closed her eyes and murmured: "It was the only thing Scrivener could do to interrupt the Norns... they were too distant for him to close in on and... they... yes, yes, Twilight, yes, we were foolish. We... we gave in to the temptation to use them, and more, we both, and both of us, not simply Scrivener, were... consumed by their power. The... I cannot explain the strength I felt. The sick joy. The power..." She shivered and tried to roll away, but Twilight held her down on her back, and Luna grimaced a bit before the violet mare asked quietly: "But was it worth it?" "Twilight..." Luna sighed softly, looking silently up at her before she lowered her head and whispered: "Twilight, thou cannot understand. Thou art too pure to understand. 'Tis like... an addiction. 'Tis poison, both Scrivener and I know it is poison, and yet oh, how it fulfills us to delve into it... even though the moment it ends, all that pain slams into us, and Scrivener's corruption was only exacerbated by it... but the Norns would have killed us otherwise. Aye, we are responsible for what we have done to ourselves but... if the choice is between shortening of life and death, I... we..." Twilight looked down at Luna silently, then she closed her eyes before reaching down and silently stroking under Luna's chin, reaching up to touch the collar around her own neck as she said quietly: "I'm not too pure or too naïve to understand these things Luna. Maybe I once was, but not anymore. But you can't... you can't give in. You can't die. Not even if it's what you and Scrivener want." Luna mumbled and lowered her gaze awkwardly, and Twilight Sparkle sighed softly, clenching her eyes shut for a moment before she finally leaned down and kissed Luna for a soft moment. It surprised the sapphire mare, her eyes fluttering open before Twilight quickly drew back, lowering her head as she whispered, even as a tear slowly slid down her cheek: "I won't let you kill yourselves. Not after everything we've been through together. Not when I deserve a say too." The sapphire mare closed her eyes, then she sighed softly and nodded finally, murmuring softly: "I am sorry, Twilight. Thou... thou art right. And thou does... thou art equal to myself and Scrivener and I have much respect and adoration for thee, as does Scrivy." Twilight nodded a few times, looking down before she sighed softly, and Luna hesitated before asking finally: "Scrivener..." "Your wounds are... severe, but you started healing much better yesterday. Scrivener, though... corruption burned all his veins and... he was just... a mess." Twilight shook her head slowly, shivering a bit. "They have him... hooked up to all these... medical things, and demons are helping look after him, keeping him sedated. He's being treated with Ambrosia extract and elixirs mixed up by Zecora and Celestia but... it's just... not helping much." Luna nodded slowly, and Twilight hesitated before continuing quietly: "Celestia... was very upset. Odin was stunned that the Norns were dead, but Celestia is... furious. Not just with you and Scrivener, though, with... I don't know. Odin? Herself? Maybe everyone... all I know for sure is that she's going to lecture you a lot when she and Odin get back from Ponyville." "What are Celestia and Odin doing in Ponyville?" Luna glanced up and gave a faint smile. "Am I not the center of their universe?" "Luna..." Twilight sighed softly, but then she shook her head slowly and said in a quieter voice: "She just... I don't think she could stand playing politics right now. So she told the Royal Council she was taking a leave of absence for a little while. She only left yesterday, and she wants you both transferred to Ponyville as soon as possible, but right now the only place Scrivener can be proper treatment is here. Because of... Subterra." "Aye, I see now. The underground dwellers feast on Scrivener's emotions and pain... numbing some of the pains from the corruption, helping keep him in that... sedated state." Luna said softly, looking up at the ceiling before she glanced down when Twilight quietly laid down beside her, and she wrapped a foreleg around the violet mare, closing her eyes and burying her face against her mane as Twilight curled herself closer. "But... how long has it been, Twilight? Thou said it was a long time..." "A little over a week." There was silence for a few moments as Luna processed this, and then the sapphire mare closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards before Twilight asked softly, glancing up at her: "Are you mad at Celestia?" "Nay, just terrified that she is going to pummel me." Luna mumbled, and then she shook her head quickly and said quietly, as Twilight smiled a little: "Not at all, with honesty... 'tis good that Celestia is... away. Able to think, able to regain her thoughts by herself, able to... relax some. This is not her fault: she should not suffer for what has happened to myself and Scrivener Blooms, any more than thou should. Thou should both be... be happy. And I appreciate thy concern but... thou should not... hurt so dearly for us, Twilight." "I care for you both. Very, very deeply... of course I'm going to hurt when you've both gone and... and been stupid." Twilight replied quietly, shaking her head slowly and laughing faintly as she looked up at Luna with a faint smile. "Even Odin is worried and a little upset, but... I think he made the right decision in going with Celestia. They... they support each other really well." "'Tis gross, but they do, aye." Luna agreed softly, glancing quietly over at Twilight. For a few moments there was silence again, and then the winged unicorn finally sighed and asked in a murmur: "And what of my children?" "They're scared. Scarlet Sage came to visit once with Apple Bloom... and Antares is just... worried. Having Celestia around will help but... all the same. He loves his parents." Twilight smiled faintly, nestling herself closer as Luna closed her eyes and felt a deep pang of self-loathing and shame. "So you and Scrivener need to get better... if only for his sake." "I... we shall then. We shall." Luna murmured, and they descended into quiet again. Other questions rose in Luna's mind, but she all the same didn't have the strength to ask them as she laid quietly with Twilight curled silently up against her. Twilight eventually fell asleep, and as Luna looked down at her, she wondered silently just how much the violet mare had gone through this last while, how much she had suffered... and felt so fortunate that she had Twilight Sparkle in her life. Twilight and Scrivener both; what greed, but what fortune, too, and she silently kissed the violet mare's forehead, just beneath her horn, before she whispered: "I shall always protect thee. Always, Twilight Sparkle, do not ever fear. Do not ever worry... thou shall always have a place with myself, and Scrivener Blooms..." She closed her eyes as she pulled Twilight a little closer, her own breathing slowly evening out, sleep pulling her back down into darkness... and Luna sighed in relief as she found herself standing in a dark forest beneath the night sky, hopping a bit on the spot and smiling down at her body. No bandages, no pain, and even though she still couldn't sense Scrivener, the knowledge that he was safe and being taken care of was enough to help her relax. She looked back and forth curiously, then glanced up as a shape strode slowly towards her... before her eyes widened and she stumbled backwards as Nightmare Moon stepped out of the shadows of the forest. But her wings had become leathery, her tail long, spiked, and whip-like, and her mane burned with blue flames instead of starry light as she grinned widely across at Luna. The red-stained collar of roses around her neck dripped with fresh 'polish,' and spikes, knives, and other implements gleamed over her back as her demonic wings spread wide, then furled at her sides, small claws twitching with strange eagerness on the ends of these long appendages. Her cloven hooves strode calmly over the ground, which rotted beneath her with her passage as she leaned forwards, exhaling blue mist before whispering: "We are nearing perfection, Luna..." "Nightmare Moon... there is no such thing as perfection." Luna replied sharply, and she shivered after a moment before looking slowly over the monstrosity that Nightmare Moon had become, shivering as she realized the creature was even larger as well... that her eyes were glowing with ivory, unholy light out of features crisscrossed with scarring worn like honor, as she said weakly: "What... what hast happened to thou?" "Necessary evolution." Nightmare Moon replied with a soft smile, straightening and shaking her head briskly... and as her fiery sapphire mane swirled around her, Luna realized there were large, straight horns hidden amidst the flames along with a ridge of spikes that likely went all the way from forehead to spine. "Isn't it only proper that as the world worsens, as your nightmares worsen... I should grow stronger as well? Yes, the corruption... the corruption in Scrivener Blooms, I have been delving deep in it, experiencing it... and we shall grow powerful for him. I do not wish for either of you to think of me as the Nightmare Moon from that foolish story... weak, afraid, unable to pursue its course. A victim of cowardice." Luna swallowed thickly, staring disbelievingly over Nightmare Moon before the enormous monster leaned slowly down, locking gazes with Luna as she said softly: "But you must evolve too, little Luna... for do not fear, I have not forgotten that I am to bow to you, as well as Scrivener..." Nightmare Moon smiled slightly, accenting this with a slow drop of her head. "But what use are you to him if he must step in and save you every time something goes wrong? If he must sacrifice his life to protect yours..." The sapphire mare snarled up at Nightmare Moon, but then the dark creature only laughed and stood back tall, smiling warmly through her scarred and marred features. "But does it really matter? You deny me, sweet little Luna, but I see the true you. And you pretty mask of false honor and nobility was torn back in our battle with the Norns... your true face was revealed, as was Scrivener's. Primal monsters... murderers. Killing Skuld was not enough... you desired her slaughter." "I desired to ensure she would not get up again, with or without the aid of her siblings." Luna responded in a growl, gritting her teeth for a moment before she shook her head quickly and looked moodily up at the dark creature. "Thou art disturbing and difficult to look at, but I do not sense... hostility, precisely, from thee. What is it, Nightmare Moon? What does thou desire?" "Love, power, freedom... many things." Nightmare Moon replied courteously, and then she stepped forwards and smiled, reaching a hoof up to stroke slowly under Luna's chin and guide her into looking upwards. "Things that I can and will earn one day. Which I plan to begin earning right now, by teaching you the things you've always wanted to know, by sharing more of my strength with you... you have fed me for so long, with so much blood and passion and darkness... let me share with you in return. And not merely a short burst of power, to be used in battle... let me help you learn... that pain is pleasure." Luna shivered a bit, starting to pull away before Nightmare Moon let her eyes drift up towards the moon in the night sky, saying softly: "It's something you already know, Luna, but... not something you ever mastered, is it? But let me in. Let me in a little deeper, sweet Luna. Let me spread a little further through you... and I'll share what I have to teach, and help you reach your fullest potential. To let you... share a little more, with Scrivener Blooms..." There was silence for a few long moments... and then Luna finally looked up at her and whispered: "I am not a monster." But Nightmare Moon only smiled gently in return, replying in a quiet, gentle voice: "And I have never said you are, little Luna. Tell me, am I?" Luna laughed shortly as she looked over the creature of darkness in front of her... and then she shivered, half-yanking herself away before Nightmare Moon smiled knowingly when Luna halted, took a slow breath... and then finally looked over her shoulder, asking finally: "Will it... help Scrivener Blooms?" "Yes. And as I teach you, so may you teach him. We share all things... and Scrivener already has an affinity for pain, does he not?" Nightmare Moon closed her eyes with a soft, tender smile... a smile so faithful, so loving, it sent chills down Luna's spine but also gave her a sense of strange and deep reassurance. "He will survive. The others may not have faith in him, but I do... and so should you. You shall see... yes, he will first weaken, he will suffer... but then there will be... a miracle." "A miracle..." Luna snorted after a moment, trying to deny the hope it gave her, the gladness she felt, as she asked sharply: "Art thou a fortune teller now, Nightmare Moon? A prophetess? Because as it is, we already have one problematic seer to deal with and do not require another." Nightmare Moon only laughed softly, however, smiling across at Luna before she said affectionately: "You are learning to trust me again, even though you hide it. You know I have never led you wrong... you know that even when I have overstepped my bounds, it has always been with purpose. It's always struck me as funny, though... I merely speak your deepest hopes and desires and beliefs, and yet you struggle to refute them, you become... terrified of them, what they are, what they mean. You shouldn't, sweet Luna... because I swear to you..." Nightmare Moon slowly strode forwards, her eyes half-lidding as the glow increased, her fiery mane burning higher as her wings shuddered at her side. "Everything you desire... it will all be ours. Every dream we have shared together... shall all come true. Now come with me, little Luna. Let me make you strong." Luna hesitated for only a moment in this dark world inside her mind... and then, finally, she sighed quietly and turned to follow the enormous, black-coated creature, striding in the dark mire left in her wake and yet all the same finding herself eager to learn just what this devil might have to teach. Category:Transcript Category:Story